LOS ANGELES -- Seven-time All-Star Grant Hill retired from the NBA on Saturday after 19 seasons, ending a career interrupted by injuries that included an Olympic gold medal.

The Los Angeles Clippers announced the news, which came as no surprise since Hill had been mulling his future after the team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. He had one season left on his contract.

"I've been hinting at it for the last few years and you get to a point where you just don't want to do it anymore. But I've enjoyed it, I've loved it," Hill said while appearing on TNT's pregame show before Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Hill appeared in just 29 games last season, his first with the Clippers, but he lent a valuable veteran presence.

Gary Sacks, the team's vice president of basketball operations, called Hill "the embodiment of class, a true professional."

The 40-year-old forward averaged 16.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals during a career that included stints with the Clippers, Detroit, Orlando and Phoenix (see full story).

Kings to introduce new coach MaloneThe Sacramento Kings will introduce former Golden State assistant Mike Malone as their head coach on Monday.

The news conference to announce Malone's hiring will come three days after new owner Vivek Ranadive officially took control of the franchise from the Maloof family, a team official said on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made.

Malone replaces Keith Smart, who was fired Friday shortly after the sale of the team was completed.

Ranadive has been a minority owner the past three seasons of the Warriors, where Malone worked the past two seasons as an assistant under coach Mark Jackson (see full story).

Blaylock's condition improves to seriousATLANTA -- Former NBA All-Star guard Daron "Mookie" Blaylock was upgraded to serious condition at an Atlanta hospital Saturday, a day after his SUV crashed head-on into a van and killed a woman.

Atlanta Medical Center spokeswoman Nicole Gustin confirmed that the 46-year-old Blaylock's condition had improved since he was airlifted to the hospital. Police said the former Atlanta Hawks player was initially placed on life support and was in critical condition late Friday even after he was taken off of it.

Blaylock was driving in neighboring Jonesboro Friday afternoon when he crashed, said Clayton County police spokesman Clarence Cox. Police said his SUV crossed the center line and slammed into an oncoming van (see full story).